iPod nano batteries causing fires in Japan?

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The Japanese government is looking into a number of incidents involving Apple iPod nanos.

The country’s trade ministry has linked the tiny digital players with 3 fires and apparently Apple has two further cases where people have experienced burning. In all cases no one has been seriously injured.

The player will now be looked at more closely by a product safety group endorsed by the Japanese government. An official has also suggested Apple may want to get involved with their investigations, commenting:

We are not in the position to speculate on the outcome of the investigation. But after several incidents like these, it would be appropriate for Apple to take some measures to raise the public’s awareness.

The cause of the problem is thought to be the batteries found within the devices. Defective batteries have previously been sold with nanos in Japan between September 2005 and September 2006. It is unclear whether these latest fires are from later models or that same batch.

Apple has responded in a statement to CNET stating:

Apple has determined that in very rare cases batteries in first generation iPod nanos sold between September 2005 and December 2006 can overheat causing failure and deformation of the iPod nano … Apple has received very few reports of such incidents … which have been traced back to a single battery supplier. There have been no reports of serious injuries or property damage, and no reports of incidents for any other iPod nano model.

Matthew’s Opinion
Hopefully for Apple and nano buyers the fires are occurring from nanos sold from that old defective batch. To have a new battery problem could end with a costly recall for Apple and yet another case of manufacturing problems associated with the production of rechargeable batteries.

Having laptops set on fire is bad enough, but at least they are easy to leap away from. When an iPod nano overheats and burns there is a good chance it will be in a trouser or shirt pocket. Burns are pretty much assured in that situation and trying to remove the device will just end with further burns to hands.

I’m sure Apple will be interested in getting involved with the investigation. It is in their interests to track down the problem as quickly as possible before any further incidents occur.